Playgroups are supposed to be about goldfish crackers, bubbles, and a little sanity for the adults, not high-school-level drama. But one nanny found herself in the middle of a messy dispute after she and others decided to kick out a member who never pulled her weight.

The group had a simple system with nine nannies that rotated responsibilities. Once a month, you bring snacks, drinks, and an activity. It could be something as easy as fruit and Cheerios, plus chalk, bubbles, or water balloons. But Alexandra, a newer nanny, showed up her first month with one tiny pack of dollar-store chalk for twenty kids and nothing else. Another time, she claimed she was sick but arrived anyway after someone else had already covered her turn. Another month, she didn’t show at all.